


Can't Leave You Alone

by Haruka_S_Knight



Series: Can't Leave You Alone and other tales [1]
Category: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Bisexuality, F/F, F/M, Friendship, Implied/Referenced Cheating, LGBTQ Themes, Lesbian Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-04-22
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:54:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23961103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Haruka_S_Knight/pseuds/Haruka_S_Knight
Summary: A.U. Haruka centric story. Set in Las Vegas Nevada.Piano player and amateur racer Haruka Tenoh made a new life after falling in love far from home. When hearts stray where will that leave those involved? Sometimes life closes the door on the things we want, and sometimes it offers us chances at a fresh start.Trigger Warning: Adultery.
Relationships: Tenoh Haruka & Original Character(s)
Series: Can't Leave You Alone and other tales [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1727485
Comments: 4
Kudos: 4





	1. Introductions: May I present, Kaioh-san.

**Author's Note:**

> This story is dedicated to my long time friend Kura, who encouraged me to dive into writing and posting things I would not have otherwise. 
> 
> I own only Jill, Thomas, Howard and unfortunately Jose.

Can't Leave You Alone  
By: Haruka's Knight

Chapter 1:  
Introductions: May I present, Kaioh-san.

Nevada was at times an interesting place, aside from Las Vegas things weren't as fast paced and hectic. Still, Vegas was where this one young Japanese woman had made her home. It was odd for her to think she had been away from Japan for so long. The twenty-four-year-old, blonde woman grinned as she turned down a familiar street. She had come to the United States for a trip when she was seven-teen and never gone home. That trip had as it seemed, changed her life, she had seen things that wouldn't be allowed in a "proper" Japanese home, met people who spoke their minds far more freely, and discovered the local stock car racetracks.

True, Haruka had raced back home, and done well, but here the racers were somewhat less disturbed to be beaten by a woman. They still were far from enjoying it, but it wasn't as important to hide her gender. Haruka had in fact made a number of male friends on the track and at the races, which it held. It had been at one such race that she decided to stay.

Flash back:

Summer was drawing to an end as Haruka checked over her car one last time, making sure it was safe for the race. This was the last amateur race she would have a chance to be in before her flight back to Japan. She was busy thinking over all the things she had seen and done those three months, over her cross-country trip, when a young woman walked over to her.

"Hi." The young woman pushed a lock of brown hair over her shoulder. Her brown eyes glanced at Haruka's car before returning to her. "I'm sorry to bother you, my friends made me come over here." She said, pointing over her shoulder at a group of young women about their own age.

"That's okay." Haruka smiled at her and held out a hand. She winked at the shorter woman in a friendly manner as she introduced herself. "My name is Tenoh Haruka."

"Jill Tanner." The other young woman replied. She took the offered hand and shook it with a quick downward jerk, like a child would an adult's hand. Both chuckled and grinned. "You have a bit of an accent, where are you from?"

"Tokyo, Japan."

End flash back:

Haruka pulled her gray, Pontiac GTO into the driveway of a small, white house. She had to admit that she had enjoyed the last seven years even though things didn't always go as planned, and sometimes she didn't like them, but she still enjoyed it. Thoughts of Tokyo didn't haunt her, as much, anymore. She wasn't as homesick as she'd once been.

"Jill, honey I'm home!" Haruka called as she entered the house. From the kitchen she heard some weird noise and the slam of the back door. She raised an eyebrow as she started that way, stopping when Jill popped out of the kitchen doorway.

"Hi, love. How was the race?" Jill asked with a strange smile and eyes that looked just a bit wider than normal.

"It was good, I won but Hector was close behind me." Haruka commented as she continued again toward the kitchen. She opened the door and stepped in to look around, craning her neck to one side then the other before entering. Except for a glass sitting on the table nothing was out of the ordinary.

"You know, I really wish you'd give up racing. It's so dangerous." Jill all but whined at the tall blonde. It was becoming a daily discussion in their home.

"You know I can't, I feel like it's in my blood." Haruka replied as she hopped up and sat on the counter. After a moment of silence, she decided to speak again, change the topic before they fell into the same discussion they always played out on this. "I got a call today from Howard. He wants me to play at a few concerts with some violinist from Japan."

"That's great!" Jill smiled as she took the glass and placed it in the sink. She looked back up at the taller woman thoughtfully, not really smiling but still seeming somewhat more satisfied. "Where are these concerts and when will you start?"

"The big convention center by the casinos." Haruka paused and gave a sheepish look to the brunet as she scratched her blonde head. "That wasn't a very good description was it? This is Vegas after all. We start on Monday with about two weeks of practice. For that part it will be a 9 to 5 job, or so Howard told me."

"Do you have to go every day?" Jill asked as she sat at their table, her curiosity seeming to have been triggered.

"Only weekdays.” Haruka shrugged as she replied. “When the concerts start though it will be each day at about 7pm. Howard said that if this violinist and I get along he'll keep me on for the entire American tour, I'm not sure I want to be away from home for so long though."

"Oh, come on. I'm a big girl, I'll be just fine." Jill chided her, giving Haruka a half playful glare. "And this is a lot safer than your races."

"Yeah, I guess so." Haruka quietly answered as Jill stood and shoed her out of the room, saying she wanted to start on dinner.

Haruka walked quietly up the stairs as she thought about it. It wasn't like Jill needed her here for anything but still it seemed odd. Haruka felt like they should both be more upset at the possibility of being separated than either actually was. In fact, she had a hard time remembering the last time either said they missed the other.

'Maybe seven years has just made us too used to each other.' She thought, wandering off to the shower without a real answer.

Haruka pulled her car into the parking structure of an expensive hotel at 8:30am, Monday morning. As she locked the driver's door she paused to once again check her tie in her car's side mirror. Today she'd chosen to wear a black suit, white collared shirt and black tie. With her hair combed neatly she seemed to look very professional, at least to herself. The lobby was large and quiet as she entered. It was decorated in soft cream and dark wood colors, the entire atmosphere seeming to be well suited for a hotel with mostly rich clients and businessmen. A receptionist sat at a desk speaking to a uniformed security officer. The two seemed to be oblivious to the new visitor, continuing their discussion about some unknown topic. Haruka strode over to the front desk and cleared her throat in order to make her presence known. Both looked up at the blonde, the receptionist jumping a little in surprise.

"How may I help you, sir?" Asked the receptionist, once she'd gathered herself again. She did her best to regard Haruka with a professional, calm look while collecting her wits.

"I'm here to see Kaioh, M." Haruka replied, not bothering to correct her about the gender, it wasn't like it didn't happen all the time. When the woman gave her an odd look she continued. "I have an appointment, but they didn't give me the room number."

"Oh." The receptionist typed something into her computer. She read the screen and smiled up at the tall blonde before her desk. "Here we are. She's on the tenth floor, room 1014."

"Thank you." Haruka replied, with a polite smile as she turned toward the elevators.

The elevator ride to the tenth floor was short and when the shiny, silver doors opened Haruka stepped out into a warmly lit hallway with a large window at one end. Doors lined both sides of the hall, each with well-shined golden numbers. She began to walk down the hall, checking each door's number as she went, and entirely missing the young woman standing before her in the hall.

"You must be Tenoh-san." An amused voice quietly spoke into the silent hall, just before she could walk into the shorter woman. Haruka nearly yelped in surprise as she heard the young woman, she could have sworn no one was in the hall a moment ago.

Laughter was heard as an older, white man stepped from the doorway of room 1014. He smiled good-naturedly at the blonde from behind the young Asian woman. She was four inches shorter than Haruka, with shoulder length aqua hair and deep blue eyes. She smiled kindly at the taller woman before her.

"Tenoh Haruka, may I present, Kaioh Michiru." Howard indicated the aqua haired woman with one hand. He fought a wicked smile back as he spoke his next words. "She is the one I have sold your soul to."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Haruka spoke in English, bowing politely to the woman in front of her. As Michiru returned the gesture Haruka spoke again, this time in Japanese. ""

"" Michiru returned in Japanese with a shy smile. " _"_

_Howard cleared his throat, reminding the two women that he had no idea what they were saying. He gestured them back into the suite, leading the way after a brief pause. The two women smiled at his back before also entering the suite. Once inside, Howard began to fill them in on the details of the Vegas concerts and practice sessions. He informed both that the convention center's concert hall had been reserved for the entire month. The next two weeks they would have access to it to practice at all hours of the day, and Haruka would be paid a salary for the month to avoid having to use a timecard system. The last two weeks the hall was theirs before and after the concerts._

_"I think that covers everything." Howard said with a smile, finally covering all the small details. He regarded both women for a moment longer. "The hall is yours starting tomorrow, we wanted it today, but they needed to finish a convention or something. Today is yours to do as you two please, but I suggest you get to know a little about each other."_

_"Thank you, Howard-san." Michiru said quietly. Howard grinned at her, finding the new title cute. He gave a poor attempt at a bow and left the two alone._

_"So, what should we do today, Kaioh-san." Haruka grinned at the other woman after Howard's footsteps were no longer heard in the hall. "After all, you are the boss."_

_"Perhaps we could get some lunch and, as Howard-san said, get to know each other." Michiru smiled up at the blonde. Haruka had to stop for a second; taking notice for the first time that Michiru was, in fact, a very attractive young woman._

_"Sounds good." Haruka stood and couldn't help but fall back into her habit of flirting, even if this was her 'boss'. She opened the door and held it for the other woman, bowing yet again. When she spoke she did it with a playful tone. "Right this way, my lady."_

_Michiru walked out the door with a warm smile, Haruka not far behind. The two didn't speak again until they reached a small restaurant. Haruka had chosen it because she knew very few of the tourists came here. As they entered, she saw Michiru's surprised look. The entire restaurant was painted red with golden dragons sprawled across the walls._

_"This is one of my favorite places." Haruka spoke near the shorter woman's ear. They were still near the entrance. "They serve Japanese and Chinese food, plus not many people even know it's here."_

_"You must bring dates here all the time, I see." Michiru joked playfully as an Asian woman beckoned them over, calling Haruka by name. The worker was clearly very happy to see a regular customer._

_"No, actually I'm married, and she hates Asian food." Haruka watched for any reaction as she led Michiru toward the worker. All the shorter woman did was raise one aqua colored brow._

_"Haruka! You finally brought someone with you!" The older woman exclaimed, sounding maternal toward the tall twenty-four-year-old. She came over to give the tall blonde a hug and bowed to Michiru. "I was afraid I'd never see you with a date."_

_"No, no." Haruka waved her hands in front of her as Michiru stifled a laugh with one hand. "Really Kari, she isn't my date, you know I'm married." Haruka pointed at a gold band on her left ring finger as if to use it as proof._

_"Yes, yes, but it is still nice to see you not sitting alone for once." The older woman smiled at Haruka like the tall blonde was a child. "And who is your lovely friend?"_

_"Kaioh Michiru, this is Kari Carter." She watched Michiru bow to the older woman. "She and her husband own this place; she was the first person from Japan I met after I moved here."_

_"It is nice to meet you, Kaioh-san." The older woman smiled and pointed at a white man over behind cash register. He seemed to be taking care of tabs for various tables. "That would be my husband, Robert. He doesn't know how to make or pronounce most of the foods, but he likes to help." This brought a small laugh from both younger women and a warm smile from Kari._

_After a bit more small talk they were led to Haruka's usual table. As it turned out it was in the back, nearly invisible to the rest of the dining room. Michiru looked around a moment, taking in the way that Haruka seemed to enjoy isolation or solitude. She pondered the difference until a waiter popped up to take their orders. Curious about her new co-worker she asked Haruka to order for her._

_"Howard-san hasn't told me much about you." Michiru commented across the table. She looked up into a pair of clear teal eyes. "So, you are married?"_

_"Yes." Haruka seemed to pause. She looked away for a moment, staring at nothing in particular as she avoided eye contact. "Her name is Jill, we met when I was seven-teen."_

_Michiru smiled as she realized what must be going through her new friend's head. 'She probably thinks I am going to fire her. If she only knew.' Michiru thought as she patted Haruka's hand._

_"It so good you found someone, Tenoh-san. And all the way over here, Howard-san did say you were from Tokyo." Michiru was relieved as Haruka relaxed into her chair. Her eyes seemed to light up a bit and she looked somewhat excited now._

_"I came for a vacation when I was finishing high school. I was in my last week here when I met Jill and decided to stay." A small look of sadness started to cross through Haruka's eyes. "I do miss Tokyo now and then." She admitted the last part quietly._

_Before anymore could be said their food arrived and the two began to eat. There was silence until they had both finished the meal and were walking toward the front. Haruka paid Mister Carter and led the way back to her car while showing Michiru a picture of Jill. It was snapped when they were just starting off together and you could tell Jill had no idea it was being taken. The young woman's brown hair was disheveled, and she looked to be just waking up. Michiru had to cover her mouth to restrain a laugh at how adorably unkempt the picture was._

_"So, now that I have spilled information about my love life, what about you, Kaioh-san?" Haruka asked her once they were back on the road. They had no destination, so they just cruised around Vegas as they spoke._

_"Well, the only special person in my life right now is in my hotel suite." Michiru commented mischievously. "He was in the bedroom earlier, would you like to meet him, Tenoh-san?"_


	2. T-kun and Wind Chaser : Late to Work

Chapter 2:  
T-kun and Wind Chaser  
Late to Work

It wasn't long before Haruka was parking her car back in the hotel parking structure again. This time she was greeted only with a warm smile from the receptionist as she followed Michiru through the lobby. During the elevator ride she pondered the aqua haired musician beside her. Michiru was beautiful, kind, and seemed very accepting, but still Haruka knew little to nothing about her. Oddly though she was starting to feel like they were old friends. Minutes later found her standing in the main room of Michiru's hotel suite, listening to a muffled, one-way conversation through the door. She continued to stand as she was, staring at a wall while the other woman's voice floated softly through the door and to her ears.

"T-kun, you better be nice or no treat tonight." Michiru's voice said in a soft command, Haruka really tried not to think too much about the comment as she heard Michiru call through the door to her. "Ready?"

"Um, okay." Haruka responded, clearly confused. Barely had the words left her mouth when the door opened and a large, mostly brown looking blur shot over to tackle the blonde. She was on the ground looking up at a very friendly German Shepard as it braced two paws on her shoulders and its tail wagged happily. Michiru's giggling face appeared over the dog as Haruka started to realize what just happened, and review what she’d heard in an entirely different context.

"He seems to like you, Tenoh-san." Michiru stated as she started to encourage him off their guest. She gave a concerned look toward the blonde sprawled across the floor of the suite. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, thank you Kaioh-san." Haruka got up to knell in front of the dog. It wagged its tail even faster as she reached over and ruffled the fur on its head and scratched behind both ears. "And what, sir, if I may ask, is your name?"

"This is Triton." Michiru smiled as she knelt next to Haruka. She took over scratching behind one ear, as Triton seemed to be on cloud 9 from all the attention. "He doesn't normally warm up so quickly to guests. He is very friendly but normally he sniffs people for several minutes before letting them pet him."

"I must be special then." Haruka smiled and looked back at Triton. Her next words, though spoken as seriously as possible, earned a new set of giggles from Michiru. "I'm honored, T-kun."

After an entire day spent with her new employer Haruka drove home. As she entered the house, she couldn't help but grin, things just seemed happy today. She walked into the kitchen, looking for Jill. When there was no sign of the other woman there, she looked into each room. In their bedroom she found a note on the covers.

"Went out with a friend, don't wait up. Jill." Haruka read the note out loud. She sat down on the bed, crumbled the paper, and discarding it into a small trash can like a basketball. "Well, she has been doing that a lot lately."

Almost as if to answer her statement a small meow was heard from under the bed. Haruka looked down to see a bluish-gray cat crawl out and move to sit between her feet. The cat was eight years old, but in so many ways she still looked like a kitten.

"Hello there, Wind-chaser." She smiled as she picked up the cat, placing it gently on her lap. Wind-chaser curled up and began to purr loudly. "Did you behave for Jill today?"

Haruka laughed when the cat stopped purring and tensed. For some reason her cat seemed to hate her wife. Jill refused to even try to feed her anymore, since Wind-chaser wouldn't eat anything she'd touched. It had been like this ever since she and Jill moved in together. At first Jill tried to bribe the cat with everything from fish to ice cream. She even bought toys and put catnip on them, but Wind would not touch anything Jill gave her. For some reason the cat just didn't like her. After about a year or two Jill just gave up entirely and left the cat alone.

One of Haruka's friends compared it to a child and a new stepparent, saying that maybe the cat liked a pervious woman Haruka had been involved with. Haruka shook her head again, knowing that she had gotten Wind just months before meeting Jill; there were no women in that time. Wind seemed to dislike all of Jill's friends as well. Of those friends Haruka introduced her to Wind only watched females. She showed neither like nor dislike but avoided touching them. Her male friends however all loved Wind-Chaser. The little cat would gladly jump into their laps and purr to her heart’s content, soaking up the attention the men offered her.

Recently, however, Wind had gone beyond dislike or distance with Jill. In fact, one morning she'd actually bitten Jill, Haruka groaned at the memory alone. She had argued with Jill after the incident about getting rid of Wind. Haruka wasn't willing to just throw away her pet of almost eight years, just because it misbehaved when it was around Jill.

"What is it you dislike about her so much, Wind-chan?" Haruka spoke softly. She gently ran her hand over the cat’s soft fur, eliciting a new round of purring. "And why do you like her even less recently,hm?"

After another few minutes Haruka finally gave up trying to analyze Wind's behavior. She stood, easily shifting Wind onto her shoulder as she got to her feet, and walked back downstairs to the kitchen. Opening a cupboard, she first retrieved a can of cat food for Wind's diner, feeding the hungry cat first, then started to look around for food of her own.

"Ramen, spaghetti, chicken soup, potato soup?" She looked back down at Wind, the cat looked up from its food to give its master an odd look. The cat didn't seem to like those choices either. "To the fridge!" Haruka exclaimed as if on an adventure, her little cat continued to watch her antics.

Across the city, Michiru followed Triton down the side walk as the famed nightlife of Las Vegas began to come out. She was in a relatively quiet area of town and was glad to be away from most of the casinos. Still, as she walked, she heard sirens and stopped to watch a police car barrel down the street toward an unknown location.

"You know T-kun, I think I read somewhere that Nevada has the highest crime rate in the United States." The aqua hair woman commented to the German Shepard before they continued their walk. As the sun fully set in the distance Michiru began to think over the events of the day. She was still very surprised by Triton's reaction to Haruka, after all Triton tended to be protective of his mistress. He wasn't a mean dog by far, but even as they walked down the street, he strayed from any stranger who stopped to speak to her. Triton stayed just out their reach as they complemented him, watching their every move for any threat to Michiru.

When Howard had entered the suite that morning, he had sniffed the older man for nearly ten minutes, and that was having seen him just the day before. It was very much like having a four-legged bodyguard. Yet later that day he'd even tried to play with Haruka, treating the blonde as if she belonged.

"You'd like it if Tenoh-san joined us for the tour, wouldn't you?" She asked the dog as they waited at a light. His answer was one short, happy sounding bark, leaving his mistress to wonder how much he truly understood the things she said. As they were crossing the street a woman bumped into Michiru and she nearly lost her balance. They were in the middle of the intersection and she had to grab onto the American's arm to stay on her feet.

"I'm sorry." Michiru said quickly as the woman helped to steady her, a slightly taller young man stood behind her. "I was distracted."

"Don't worry about it." The American woman smiled, her brown eyes glancing down at Triton who was growling at her. She spoke to the dog a bit nervously and backed away slightly. "Nice doggy."

"Triton!" Michiru scolded the dog and he became quiet again but still watched the other woman with strangely suspicious eyes. She looked back up as they reached the other side of the street. The woman and her companion turned a different way and Michiru started back toward the hotel. She kept wondering why that woman seemed so familiar to her but couldn't come up with an answer.

Haruka heard faint music floating from the concert hall as she approached. Howard had given both woman keycards for the doors, so she could only assume it was Michiru. Coming closer to the door she stopped to quietly listen. The violin music held a haunting quality, drifting through the air to the ears of any who'd stop to listen.

Finally, Haruka swept her keycard through the reader next to the door, opening it and stepping into the backstage area. Now the music was crystal clear, leading her over to the stage where the young violinist stood, smiling gently, with her eyes closed. Haruka watched, silently, as Michiru played through the unknown song. The aqua haired young woman seemed to be at peace, calmly drowning in her own world behind those closed eyes. She gently swayed as she played, dancing with her violin much like a teenager would with a walk-man.

"Good morning, Tenoh-san." Michiru spoke softly as her song ended. Her eyes opened to regard the blonde woman leaning silently against a wall as she played.

"Good morning, Kaioh-san. That was amazing, what was it?" Haruka asked as she grinned at the other woman.

"Half of a duet I composed two years ago. I was thinking of having it recorded but I've never found the right person to play the piano part." Michiru smiled as she gestured to the black grand piano placed on the left half of the stage. "Would you like to try?"

"I'd be honored." Haruka bowed before she walked over to the piano bench. Michiru followed and sat quietly next to the tall blonde as she read quickly over the sheet music that had been waiting there. For a moment Haruka's fingers drummed over the top of the closed cover over the keys, mimicking how to play notes in her mind. Teal eyes focused on the handwritten music, taking in the multiple pages with interest. After several long moments she gently set the sheet music back, face down, on top of the piano.

Michiru was halted from commenting when Haruka uncovered the keys and began to play. Music floated flawlessly from the grand piano as Haruka concentrated purely on the keys. She played the new piece as if she had played it for years, never missing a note or pause. After a moment Michiru stood, taking up a spot just behind the taller blonde and placing her violin once again to her shoulder. After moment, in which Michiru silently counted notes, violin music joined seamlessly, completing the duet in a hauntingly beautiful melody.

This continued until the two musicians reached the end of the piece. Both fell into complete silence, both perfectly still as if to move or speak would ruin the music even after it had ended. With a small smile Michiru realized she'd found the person she wanted to take along on the tour. She had never run across a pianist who'd so quickly taken to a song before, or one who played with so much confidence the first time they played a song.

Several hours later there was a quiet knock on the door, which made both players, pause in their practice. Haruka stood and walked to the side door, a curious Michiru close behind her. After a moment Haruka opened the door to find Jill on the other side. Before she could ask a pet-carrier was thrust into her arms by the irate brunet.

"I swear, Haruka, that cat is a menace!" Jill exclaimed pointing at the gray carrier. "I didn't do anything, didn't get near her and she comes into the bedroom and bites me! If you won’t get rid of her she is not staying home when you're gone."

"Jill, honey she's just a cat. How much damage could she have done?" Haruka half pled with the other woman. "I mean I'm not sure Kaioh-san really wants a cat running around the concert hall."

Michiru was doing an admirable job of not laughing at the poor blonde's back, though she couldn't hold in a small, amused smile. She could not see Jill but the other woman’s tone of voice did make this cat sound as if it were a danger to human life. Haruka had set the carrier gently to the side of the door and she caught a glimpse of blue-gray fur and green eyes peeking through the bars curiously.

'You don't look like such a menace.' Michiru thought with another grin. She stepped up to Haruka's side, finally catching sight of the brunet who was showing the blonde a number deep bite marks on her arm.

"It’s alright, Tenoh-san." Michiru interrupted the two as politely as she could. The brunet looked up and when their eyes met, she looked shocked. Quickly Jill looked back toward her car as if in a hurry to get somewhere. "I'm sure your cat won’t be any trouble, after all T-kun comes with me on all my tours."

"Thank you, miss Kaioh." Jill quickly turned and left before Haruka could say anything. After the car drove off the blonde closed the door and sighed. She closed her eyes as she leaned against the door, rubbing her temple. Sometimes the things Jill did could just give her a headache that would last for days.

She heard a latch open but didn't think much of it. A light shuffling was heard, clothes moving across the floor, then Michiru giggling at something. Haruka smiled a bit at the sound, it was a bit calming to hear. Soon she registered a new sound, loud purring. Her eyes snapped open only to find Michiru sitting quietly on the floor next to the open carrier. Her legs were folded under her, skirt carefully placed not to wrinkle or show anything. And on the floor next to her was Wind-Chaser, purring in joy.

The bluish-gray cat was rolling on her back, allowing Michiru to gently scratch at the soft fur of her belly, and purring loudly. The sight was so shocking that Haruka had to blink her eyes to make sure it was real. Finally, she knelt and gently picked the cat up, holding it where she could lock eyes with it. For long moments the two stared at each other as Wind continued to purr, Michiru watched this all-in silence.

"Who are you and what have you done with the REAL Wind-Chaser?" Haruka asked in pure shock. Michiru could no longer hold it in, her laughter sounded to Haruka like musical bells ringing. Wind seemed to almost smirk at her as she wriggled out of Haruka's grasp and plopped back down next to the laughing young violinist.

The rest of the day continued without anything of note happening. Wind took to sleeping atop the expensive piano as Haruka and Michiru went over the music for the concert. Wind took more than a small shine to Michiru throughout the day, even sitting in the young woman's lap as she as she sat next to Haruka going over sheet music. It was well past five when the two decided to call it a night.

"Thank you, Kaioh-san, for letting Wind stay. I just can't understand why she dislikes Jill so much." Haruka said as she walked the other woman back to her suite. Haruka had driven her back to her hotel, rather than let her hail a cab or call an Uber.

"She wasn't any trouble, Tenoh-san. Bring her any time you'd like." Michiru smiled up at the woman beside her. "Jill is welcome as well, if she would like to come listen."

"I doubt it, but I'll invite her." Haruka sighed. "She doesn't seem to like instrumental music. Or racing."

"Racing?" Michiru gave her a curious look, however blonde instead of answering merely bowed to the violinist.

"Maybe I'll explain tomorrow, Kaioh-san." Haruka winked at the shorter woman before turning away. "Sweet dreams."

It wasn't long before Haruka was walking through the door of her house, eyes skimming over sheet music she held in her hand as she walked toward the kitchen. All the house lights were off as she quietly carried Wind's cage in her free hand. She entered the kitchen and put the carrier down on the tile floor as she set the music on the table. Before she could open the cage however, the light clicked on.

"You're late." Jill said dryly. She stood next to the light switch, dressed for bed with a robe on. "I was waiting for you."

"We had to finish practice, Jill." Haruka replied calmly, not looking away from her task. She crouched to open the carrier and allow Wind some freedom again. The small gray cat practically zoomed out of the carrier; she hated to be locked up for any amount of time. "And what you did today wasn't very polite."

"Oh, why didn't you tell me your boss was a woman?" Jill asked, drastically changing the topic. She had a very accusing tone as she took a seat at the table. "She's very pretty I might add."

"She’s still my boss, and Howard didn't tell me either." Haruka reasoned as she took out the canned food, placed it in a cat dish, and gave it to the starving Wind-Chaser. She then took a seat across from Jill at the table. "What does it matter if she is good-looking, Jill?"

"So, you admit she's 'good-looking'!" Jill hopped to her feet stabbing a finger toward Haruka from across the table. She sounded like an insulted teenager, rather than a grown woman. When Haruka sighed and rolled her eyes Jill seemed to just get angrier. "You're attracted to her, aren't you?"

"What?" Haruka blinked at her wife, caught completely off guard. What bothered her most was that, eight years ago she definitely would have been right. Eight years ago, when Haruka didn't have a wedding band on her finger, or a wife waiting for her at home she would have found the short violinist very attractive.

"You heard me, Haruka Tenoh!" Jill was livid at this point. "I heard how you addressed her, isn't ‘san’ a way to address someone close to you?"

"Actually, I think you mean ‘chan.’ Jill ‘san’ is more like mister or miss." Haruka paused in her explanation when she saw another angry look cross Jill's face. Haruka tried once more to calm her wife down. "There's nothing going on, love."

"Oh, so that's why you're home five hours after work. And don't explain those Jap terms to me!" Jill glared and said one last thing before storming from the room. "You sleep on the couch tonight, Tenoh!"

Haruka winced as the kitchen door swung back and forth in its frame. She looked down to see that Wind had jumped nearly a foot from her food bowl and the little cat's fur was standing on end. After a moment her horrible sense of humor kicked in and she looked at the cat with a defeated and grim half smile.

"Maybe I should have accepted, Kaioh-san's offer of the couch in her suite, and here I thought that would give Jill the wrong idea." She shook her head as the cat mewed at her. "I know, Wind-chan, I know. Your owner used to be so good with women, you know."

The next morning came early to Haruka. She woke to Wind's continual purring from atop her stomach; the little, furry, blue-gray cat doing her best to wake her master. She opened her eyes then glanced around. After a full five minutes she remembered why she was on the couch instead of in her bed.

A glance at her watch sent Haruka's teal eyes wide and she put Wind on the floor before running for the up-stairs bathroom. Minutes later Haruka emerged, marginally cleaner and more awake though wearing the same clothes. Jill, it seemed, had locked the bedroom door while she was angry. Haruka walked into the kitchen, quickly gathering some cat supplies and food into a duffle bag as Wind walked into the carrier and curled up for a nap.

Without time to even grab breakfast the blonde jogged out the door, Wind's cage in one hand, keys and sheet music in the other and a duffle on her shoulder. She probably broke a number of state laws as she sped toward the convention center. Traffic was mild but when you drive at eighty miles an hour in a thirty-five zone, well it doesn't make other people happy. She managed to avoid police cars throughout the short trip and pulled into the large empty parking lot still at high speed.

The car's tires screeched as Haruka came to a sort of spinning halt in a reserved parking place. Seconds ticked by after the screech died down and Haruka shut off the engine. She put her head against the steering wheel, contemplating what she should say about her tardiness to the violinist waiting somewhere inside. A knock on her passenger side window made her jump in her seat a few long moments later, until she noticed whom it was.

Michiru opened the car door as the lock clicked. She sat down and pulled it closed again as she regarded the disheveled blonde next to her. She'd been a bit surprised the woman was late, and far more surprised when she drove into the parking area at speeds most people would only use on a highway. Now, looking at her up close, she had to wonder about the clothes from yesterday and the somewhat wild, just out of bed appearance.

"Is anything wrong, Tenoh-san?" She finally asked with noticeable concern in her voice. The blonde flinched visibly.

"No, nothing." She shot the other woman a falsely confident grin. "Sorry I'm a little late."

"Three hours." Michiru commented lightly, but the only emotion in her voice was concern. She glanced back and saw Wind-Chaser again caged in the back seat and was surprised to see the cat fast asleep. Finally, with a small smile she looked back at the blonde again. "I was going to leave for lunch, I ate breakfast a bit early today. Would you like to come?"

"Sure." This time Haruka's smile was real, happy that the subject had been dropped. She turned her car back on, Michiru quickly grabbing and fastening her seatbelt. "Where to?"


	3. Memories of the Past, Spare me the Details

Chapter 3: Memories of the Past, Spare Me the Details

It was a bright, sunny and cloudless Saturday morning as Haruka pulled up to the old racetrack. A number of garages were spread about the long oval track; full pit areas were available but rarely used. The older track had not seen a professional race in many years, but on weekends it was home to many amateur races. Haruka stepped out of and locked her gray, 2004 Pontiac GTO. Though she loved her everyday car, today wasn't for driving around Vegas. Today it was time to indulge the speed demon in her, today was her day to forget traffic laws and speed limits. She grinned as she remembered the new car waiting for her in one of the garages.

"Haruka! It’s all ready to go, we gave it a full once over yesterday just to make sure." Called out a young mechanic as he jogged over. He smiled at the woman; the teen mechanic was extremely happy to mess with any of the cars in said garage.

"Thanks Billy." Haruka ruffled the teen's hair, ignoring the glare she received for it. They walked toward one of the garages that the track rented out to more serious customers. As they approached an older man appeared at the garage doors. He smiled at both of them.

"You bought a nice one this time, not the brand name I'd have chosen but not all Fords are a joke." He looked back toward the large doors, motioning for Billy to help open them up. "I think the extra money for the custom parts will help too."

As the doors pulled back, they revealed a golden yellow, 2005 Ford Mustang GT. Haruka had taken a great deal of time picking a new car recently, selling her old one to a high school kid as his first car. When she chose a Ford Mustang her two mechanics, an old friend and his grandson, had laughed at the idea of using a Ford, the brand wasn't exactly the most popular anymore. However, the 2005 Mustang, with a few custom add-ons and some modifications from her two mechanics, seemed to serve Haruka's current purposes just right. It had, after all, been a Mustang she'd driven seven years ago.

Flash back 

Haruka stood beside her yellow Mustang, glancing around at the crowd. It was Friday afternoon, a race just waiting to start, and she still hadn't spotted the object of her thoughts. With no time left to wait, she got into her car and drove to the starting line. This was a quick race; four laps around the old track would decide the winner. Six cars, all street racers, were arranged on the starting lines. Each driver was waiting for the signal to turn green.

Red, yellow, green. The cars all started forward, engines growling as they shot around the track at high speed. Haruka found herself stuck behind a green car; its driver seemingly cautious of the high speeds at which they raced. A glance at her speedometer showed them to be going about 80 miles an hour. She waited, careful not to get too close, until they reached a turn. When they reached the first turn the green car took it as tight as it could manage. Haruka, on the other hand, let her Mustang drift out and passed him on the outside.

People in the crowd winced as her Mustang grazed the wall, losing one side mirror and throwing sparks into the air. A yellow line could be seen on the wall where she had scraped it. Still, Haruka was past the cautious young man and headed for the four in the lead. Her speed quickly reached 100 miles per hour and she caught up to the rest of the pack. The second turn was more restrained, five cars trying not to run into each other on the pavement.

Carefully Haruka began to pull past the fourth car on the straight away, just beginning the second lap. She realized, wither or not the others did, that her tires and theirs were losing traction as they raced. Carefully she passed him, taking up position next to the third-place car. Three laps to go, and they started the next turn. More sparks were seen as the car she just passed grazed the wall. This time the unlucky car started to have steering problems. Soon the driver slowed to a stop in the pit area.

The pits weren't really in use, so if for any reason someone needed to leave a race they drove there to get out of the way. Haruka glanced toward the right side of her car, thanking the fact that she only lost that mirror instead of a more important part. They pulled into another turn, nearing the end of the second lap. The third car slowed down, trying to avoid hitting Haruka, and she sped up a bit.

Now in third place Haruka started the third lap. She watched as the two cars in front of her tried to drag race each other toward the next turn. Always the one on the right would slow down just before the turn; the one on the left would keep his speed but pull inside as much as he could. She watched this throughout the third lap, looking for an opening, waiting for a good chance.

Halfway through the fourth lap she finally got her chance. The second car slowed, as it had been doing, and fell into line behind the other car. Before the two could pull out of this, however, Haruka shot past. She was half a car length in front of the two when they flew across the finish line. It took a full lap to slow back down to a normal speed. Coming back around and pulling off the track, Haruka parked next to an old garage.

"You won!" Yelled an older man as she got out of the car. He grinned at the 18-year-old woman. "Not that I was expecting anything less."

Before Haruka could reply a form bolted from the crowd forming near her car. The shorter brunet hugged her tightly while babbling about what a fast race that was. After a few minutes Jill finally calmed down enough to release her and step back. The blonde looked down at her 16-year-old friend with a grin.

"I thought you weren't going to make it." She commented.

"I got here right before you hit the wall." Jill said her own grin died a bit and she turned a little pale as she remembered watching it. "That was pretty dangerous wasn't it?"

"Nothing to worry about." Haruka waved a hand dismissively and looked at her car. It was going to need a paint job and a new side mirror, maybe a new door. "Want to go for dinner?"

"If I didn't know better, Haruka, I'd think you were asking me out." Jill playfully pointed a finger at her taller friend. She looked up at her but Haruka looked completely serious.

"And if I were?" Haruka asked. Jill looked surprised and even after being friends for five months Haruka didn't know how she was going to answer.

"You want to go out with me? Like a date?" Jill asked, her expression a little cautious. Haruka nodded, trying not to look too nervous about the answer. Instead of an answer Jill hugged Haruka again, leaving the blonde blinking in surprise. She supposed she could take that as a yes.

End flash back 

As the race finished Haruka pulled her Mustang up to the old garage, parking it just outside. She got out, and though she had won her smile wasn't as big as years ago. She closed the door and leaned against her car as different racers came by to speak to her. Most said a few words and left or asked how much her car cost and if she was going to race again today. She watched the cars on the track, only drag races for pink slips or personal bets left today.

"Tenoh!" Somebody yelled to her right. She looked over and saw one of her older friends. Thomas Coffel.

"Hey Thomas, what are you doing down here? I thought you gave up the races a few years ago." She grinned as she shook his hand. They leaned back against her Mustang and watched as another grudge match started on the track.

"Yeah, these kids aren't my speed anymore." Thomas smiled a bit and his eyes followed the lead car down the track. "Best thing that ever happened to me was that NASCAR sponsor spotting our race."

"So why aren't you out with Jeff Gordon?" Haruka asked, her voice teasing. She looked back at her friend; his face seemed troubled.

"Listen, Tokyo Raider, I've been haunting the track for years. Now I'm a scout for one of the sponsors." He looked down at the ground, kicking at the concrete with a sneakered foot. "Thing is, I owe you for all of it. I have a nice paycheck, shouldn't have to worry about money for a long time. My racing career was short, only worked as a test driver."

"What are you getting at Tom?" Haruka had to admit that this didn't sound good and alarm bells were sounding in her head. In fact, the more he said the more she wanted to run away.

"Look, I would never have gotten that job if you hadn't turned it down. You turning it down so you could make Jill happy made me the next choice." Thomas looked back up at his friend; their height put them eye-to-eye. He locked his brown eyes onto his friend's face. "Jill is up to something and I wanted to warn you. I wanted you to know before you found out in a worse way."

Haruka's reaction was so fast Thomas didn't see it coming. He found himself sprawled on the hood of her car, the loud thud attracting only mild attention that quickly died and Haruka had him pinned with one hand at his throat. She looked to be a mixture of angered and appalled.

"Give me one reason why I should believe you about this." Haruka said in a very dangerous tone. Thomas had seen this look on her face only once before and had no intent of landing the same place that guy had. "One reason for me to think you aren't lying and make it good."

"Haruka, I was your best man!" Thomas exclaimed; he noticed the hand lightened very marginally. He took a deep breath before he continued. "I know you love her, and I would never lie to you about something like this."

Haruka slowly released the man's neck. He was right; he had no reason to lie. Still Haruka refused to believe his words, thinking he had to be mistaken.

"Listen, Haruka, if I'm wrong I'm sorry." He stood and looked her dead in the eyes. His face was set with determination as he regarded his friend. "But I'm not wrong, I'd never say something like this if I thought there was a chance, I was wrong. I hear you've been working a regular job these days. One of these afternoons tell Jill you have to work late, come home early instead. You'll see with your own eyes."

Haruka didn't answer; she just watched his back as he walked away. A couple of minutes passed as she stood there, her heart and mind battling with each other. She tossed Billy the keys to the Mustang without a word as he walked up, leaving the 16 year old to park it back in the garage. She walked over to her car, still unsure of what she was going to do, all she knew was that she wasn't going to do it tonight.

Thirty minutes later found the tall blonde outside Michiru's suite, staring blankly at the door. She raised her hand to knock and was surprised when the door opened before she could. She stopped her fist before it could knock on Michiru's forehead instead. After a moment more of silence the shorter woman sighed with exasperation and pulled Haruka inside, she pointed to the couch and walked off into another room.

When Michiru returned Haruka was sitting on the couch, Wind-Chaser curled up on her lap purring. The tall blonde was watching the TV but didn't seem to be seeing anything on the screen. She was so distant that she didn't notice Michiru until a set of sheet music was waved in front of her eyes.

"Oh, sorry." Haruka grabbed the notes and began to look them over. As she did, she glanced now and then at the woman standing beside the couch. "Was Wind-chan any trouble today?"

"No, your cat has perfect behavior, she even raises her hand before she goes to the litter box." Michiru stated in as normal a tone as she could, waiting for a reaction from the other woman.

"Oh, that's good. Didn't know she could do that." Haruka said, still distracted. Normally when she read piano music, she could hear the notes in her mind, but tonight it seemed impossible to think straight.

"Tenoh-san." Michiru got the blonde to look up as she sat next to her. "Cats don't have hands to raise. Are you okay?"

"Um, yeah I'm fine." Haruka replayed the past conversation in her mind, only now realizing the absurdity of what Michiru had said. She shook her head lightly to clear it. "I should get home."

"As long as you're sure you're okay, Haruka-san." Michiru spoke with concern as she walked her to the door. Wind followed along on the floor, happy not to be confined to the carrier. After the two left and the door was closed behind them Michiru glanced at the cat carrier in the corner, then she looked over at Triton. "They'll be okay, right?"

The gray GTO pulled into the driveway and Haruka turned the engine off. She rested her head on the steering wheel, Thomas' words echoing in her mind. She slightly banged her head against the wheel, just once, to make the thought go away. Jill would not do that, she wouldn't, and Haruka knew she wouldn't.

A meow made her look up at the passenger seat, where Wind sat watching her. The cat seemed to be showing concern for her master, though Haruka couldn't grantee that face didn't mean "I'm hungry, food now!" After all, she didn't speak cat. She reached over and rubbed Wind's head before opening the driver door. She grabbed her bag then waited for Wind to appear at her feet. The cat bolted from the car to her master's feet.

"Aren't you the energetic one tonight." Haruka commented as she walked to the door, trusting Wind to follow along behind. She entered the house, Wind heading straight for the kitchen and called out to Jill. No answer, so she followed Wind. In the kitchen was a note, out with friends again. Haruka sighed as she broke out a frozen dinner and waited for the microwave.

She thought carefully, going over what had been said many times in her mind before she came to a decision. Finally, she decided she'd do as Thomas had suggested. She would do it, but only to prove him wrong. He had to be wrong after all.

Two days were left until the concerts started and Haruka found herself standing in a tuxedo shop. Her employer, Michiru-san as she had begun to insist on being called, stood back looking over her form with a critical eye. She had insisted that both of them have new clothes for the concerts, and also insisted she pay. So here Haruka stood, getting last minute fittings on her brand-new tux while the artistic violin player looked thoughtful.

"It isn’t right." She commented, looking over the standard black tux again. "Something is missing."

"What could be missing, Michiru-san?" The blonde tilted her head, waving one hand over the tux she wore as a tailor stood off to the side.

"Wait here." Michiru ordered lightly as she disappeared into a room full of accessories of various forms, the tailor shared a confused look with the blonde. Moments later the shorter woman reappeared with something hidden behind her back. "Close your eyes please, Haruka-san."

Haruka raised an eyebrow but did as she was instructed. After a moment she felt the buttons of her jacket being undone. The blonde was surprised but she didn't flinch, though she couldn't pass up the opportunity to tease her employer a bit even as the jacket was slipped off her shoulders.

"Now, Michiru-chan, what are you doing?" Haruka whispered in a low voice, stressing the chan a bit.

No answer came and Haruka grinned, sure that her boss was bright red over the remark. However, Haruka was shocked when slim arms slipped around her waist. She gulped, unsure what the other young woman was doing now. Her comber bun was soon removed, and Haruka had to use self-control not to open her eyes and ask what was going on. Soon though the arms were around her neck and her eyes snapped open.

"Something wrong, Haruka-san?" Michiru paused in her movements, blue eyes looking up into teal. They were toe to toe and Michiru still had her arms over the tall blonde's shoulders, standing on her toes to do so. The two were quiet, Haruka taking in the mischievous look in those blue eyes that were now so close.

"Nothing." The blonde breathed out softly. She was still gazing down at the young woman before her, unsure of what was going on.

"Then close your eyes for a moment longer." Michiru whispered almost into her ear, leaning up a bit more. Teal eyes snapped shut again and a breath was allowed to escape.

Haruka tried to take a deep calming breath, instead breathing in Michiru's perfume and leaving herself a bit lightheaded. She observed, without meaning to, that the perfume made her think of tropical flowers and beaches. She felt something lightly pulled over her shoulders as Michiru leaned away from her a bit. Light hands seemed to quickly fasten buttons before a second object was pulled over her shoulders. This was heavier and Haruka knew it was her tux's jacket again.

"You can open your eyes now, Haruka-san." Michiru spoke as she stepped back to admire the blonde's new look. She still held the comber bun in one hand as Haruka's eyes slowly opened.

Haruka turned toward the full-length mirror next to her, curious about the change. Her tux was the same, but rather than the black cloth at her waist she now wore a teal vest. The color and shade matched her eyes perfectly and somehow it fit as if it were meant for her. She looked back toward the small cat carrier, which now went everywhere she did.

"What do you think, Wind-chan?" She asked the two green eyes watching her from the shadows of the cage. A small meow was heard, and Haruka smiled in Michiru's direction. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"You look great miss Tenoh." The tailor said as he turned and gave Michiru an appraising look. "And you would make a very good tailor if you ever decided to give up music. How you found a vest that fit so well I'll never know."

Haruka carefully hung her suit bag in the back seat as Michiru stood on the other side settling Wind-Chasers carrier in the back seat. Finally, the blonde looked up to notice that Wind was on Michiru's shoulder as the other woman shut the door and got into the passenger seat. Haruka blinked and followed her example, carefully buckling her own seat belt before regarding Michiru. Michiru was buckled in, Wind curled up in her lap purring. Gently the aqua haired woman stroked the cats back as it began to fall asleep there. A smile was on Michiru's lips as the cat sighed and curled tighter into a ball.

"Are you sure you want her there?" Haruka asked, teal eyes still on the cat.

"Why not? Is she afraid of your driving?" Michiru asked gently. Teal eyes met deep blue again. "She seems so tired, the carrier didn't look very comfortable."

"She doesn't care about my driving, when I first got her she slept on my lap while I drove cross-country." Haruka smiled again as she looked at the cat. "She may act like a kitten, but she is getting pretty old for a cat."

Michiru said nothing as Haruka started the car and they drove off toward her hotel. Streetlights began to come on as the sunset behind the casinos and hotels. The car traveled smoothly along the road, Haruka seeming to be at ease behind the wheel. Michiru focused on the small ball of fur sleeping lightly on her lap, Wind seemed to be calmer in the car, with the light sound of the motor in the background, than she was at any other time.

They reached the hotel and Haruka walked Michiru to her suite, as had become their habit in the past weeks. When they turned to say goodnight, both paused as their eyes met, and for a moment Michiru could see the slight distress in the blonde's eyes.

'She isn't looking forward to going home.' Michiru realized. She thought over what little Haruka had shared about the arguments with her wife and the amount of times the poor blonde had been banished to the couch. Still, since that morning the blonde had not been late, never complaining. Michiru felt badly for the woman, wishing she could somehow stop the things the taller woman had to deal with at home.

"Thank you, again Michiru-san." Haruka spoke quietly, bowing a bit as the silence hung in the air. Without a word the aqua haired woman opened the door and pulled the surprised blonde inside the room by one hand. For a moment, Haruka merely blinked. She had no idea what Michiru was thinking but it was a delay to going home. The shorter woman quickly released her hand and disappeared into the small kitchen like area.

"Haruka-san, would you stay for some tea?" Michiru asked over her shoulder as she started to pull out what she needed. For a moment Haruka looked back at the still open door, then she gently shut it and followed the other woman. She turned off her cell phone as she leaned against a wall.

"How could I say no to such a talented beauty." She responded with a playful smirk. Michiru didn't react as she normally had been. Instead she looked back over her shoulder, regarding the blonde silently. Haruka wasn't sure what was going on in the other woman's thoughts, but she decided to merely follow suit for the night.

After they were both seated in the main room again, tea in front of each and a TV on showing the news, Michiru glanced at her. They sat on the large couch as the early news talked about the latest violent crime. Michiru ignored the morbid story, muting the TV as she faced the other woman.

"I know this will be stepping out of bounds, but why do you put up with it?" Michiru asked earnestly, her eyes seeming to search Haruka's face for an answer.

"What do you mean?" Haruka asked, trying to play dumb as she forced a confused look. She didn't expect to have a conversation about this with anyone.

"Haruka." She dropped the honorific and gave her friend a serious look. "You know exactly what I am asking. You don't even want to go home at night. Why would you stay in such a situation?”

"It’s not that bad, really." Haruka held up her hands, not convincing to even herself. "Besides, I'm lucky really. I am hard to deal with after all."

"How?" Michiru looked honestly surprised by this statement. The woman before her had not done anything to offend anyone over the two weeks they had known each other.

"Look, its nothing to worry about, I promise." Haruka stood, turning toward the chair on which, her coat rested. She paused near the door, adding something quietly as she pulled the coat back on. "It’s me, I know it is."

She was out the door, heading down the hall when she heard a quick set of footsteps following her. She turned to look and Michiru ran over to her in a rush. They looked at each other and Haruka started to ask what she wanted but was stopped by the violinist's swift actions. Michiru reached up and pulled the surprised blonde into a light, gentle kiss. For a long moment she held her there, before slowly releasing the taller woman and stepping back. Michiru bowed politely and kept her eyes on the floor as she spoke softly.

"It isn't you, Haruka. You aren't hard to deal with." She looked back up at the shell-shocked woman. "Gomen, but I felt you needed that from someone."

Haruka could do nothing but watch in silence as the shorter woman turned and walked back to her suite. The door shut and Haruka stood there in the hall, still trying to blink back her confusion. After long moments she turned and walked to the elevator, and once down in the lobby she walked back out of the building like a zombie. Finally, she reached her house, parking her car next to a house a few blocks down instead. She left Wind sleeping in the car as she walked up to her house.

Haruka very quietly opened the door. She took in the unlit house, hearing sounds from upstairs. She looked at her watch; it read 6PM.This was earlier than she thought she'd be home and earlier than she had told Jill she would be home. She crept up the stairs as quietly as possible, intent on finding the source of the sounds. Thomas had suggested she tell Jill the wrong time, told her just to wait and see. And here she was, creeping through her own house like a thief. The sounds were coming from the bedroom and she slowly turned the knob.

Michiru blinked half an hour later when her phone rang. She was not used to getting calls here, since she only knew those she did business with in this country. Slowly she picked up.

"Michiru-san?" Said a rather forced voice on the other side. She barely realized it was Haruka's. "May I stop by?"

"Where are you?" Michiru asked, concern overwhelming her at how tense Haruka sounded.

"In the hall." With that short answer Michiru hung up and moved to open the door, Haruka was indeed in the hall, Wind next to her feet. The taller woman looked as if she were going to be sick as she hung her head, blonde hair falling into her teal eyes. "Sorry."

"Don't worry about it, come in." Michiru gently pulled her inside, careful to make sure Wind followed them inside. Once both were inside Wind turned and disappeared toward the bedroom. Michiru choose to ignore it unless Triton started barking. She instead turned her attention toward the broken looking blonde. "What happened?"

"An old friend at the track told me I should come home early." Haruka muttered as she sat heavily on the couch, her teal eyes seeming devoid of any emotion. "I thought they were wrong."

"Jill was with some one?" Michiru began to remember two weeks before and running into Jill in a cross walk, a man standing behind her.

"I'm an idiot." Haruka commented, pulling a gold ring from one of her fingers. After a few moments of starring at it she was interrupted by a hand covering the ring and part of the hand, which held it. Another small hand brought her chin up, forcing her teal eyes to meet a concerned set of blue eyes.

"You aren't an idiot; you gave her your trust and if she betrayed it that was her choice." Michiru spoke as she sat next to her. She sighed as she took the ring from the taller woman's hand and placed it on the small table by the couch. "You didn't cause this."

"It had to be my fault somehow. I had to have done something wrong or I wasn't enough in some way." Haruka was stopped as a light hand touched her lips, preventing her from continuing to blame herself. She looked back at Michiru, seeing her shake her head.

"This is not your fault." She spoke clearly as she held the sides of Haruka's face and stared straight into those somewhat blank teal eyes. "You have to know that; this isn't your fault. There is nothing you could have done, Haruka. Jill’s actions and choices are her own responsibility, no one else’s."

"Thank you." On impulse Haruka leaned forward and captured the shorter woman's lips in a light kiss. She pulled back and looked into the deep blue eyes again, a small sad smile touching her lips. "I will try to remember that."

Michiru nodded mutely as she stood. She disappeared for a moment and returned not long after with a pillow and blanket for the other woman. Haruka took the items without comment, giving her a small bow. Michiru disappeared again, this time intending to get some sleep herself.

Wind emerged from the other room just as Haruka drifted off to sleep. Triton followed the small cat and they walked over to the blonde human. Silently Wind jumped up and curled up on Haruka’s stomach, closing her own small green eyes. Triton took to a spot on the floor, looking up at the sleeping woman with his brown eyes. He sighed and went to sleep as well, but positioned himself so that anyone trying to get to Haruka would have to wake the dog in doing so.


	4. Weekend, All Good Things

Chapter 4: Weekend, All Good Things   
By Haruka S. Knight

Saturday morning came with overcast rain clouds and light drizzles. Michiru emerged from her room, not sure if she was surprised to find the couch empty or not. The tall blonde was gone, leaving Wind-Chaser asleep on top of the now neatly folded blanket.

After breakfast Michiru stood next to a large window observing the rain outside. It was not heavy, thought the artist in her mind, only gloomy. Gloomy, dark, and somewhat fitting for the events of the previous night. Michiru did not want to think about what happened, what the taller woman had seen. She continued to stare out of the window, into the light storm, Triton at her side, until the hotel phone rang. She walked over to it, surprised a second time in forty-eight hours, and picked up the cordless phone.

"Hello." Michiru spoke, wondering again who would call here.

"Miss Kaioh." Howard's voice was warm though holding some concern. "I was wondering if you had seen Haruka. Jill called me, it seems that Haruka never came home last night and she was worried. For the oddest reason she insisted I call you."

"Tenoh-san?" Michiru glanced at the gold wedding band, which still lay on her coffee table. She paused only long enough to pull her eyes away from it again. "She has not been here today, Howard-san."

"Of course." Howard chuckled over the receiver as if part of a friendly joke. "Jill can be such a worrier sometimes. I'm sure there's a normal reason, I mean Haruka has never up and disappeared like this before. You know Jill was silly enough to think Haruka might be having an affair?"

"How silly." Michiru commented in a light tone, not betraying her opinion of that information. Again, she glanced at the ring, holding back any statements she wished to make. Her next words, though quite serious sounded like a joke. "I’m sure Tenoh-san will be back soon; I don’t believe she has left."

"Of course, enjoy your day off, Miss Kaioh." Howard ended the call. Michiru sat down on the couch, one hand stroking Wind's back while the other scratched Triton behind an ear.

Hours later the rain had stopped but the overcast clouds remained. Michiru, wrapped in many layers of warm clothing to keep dry, held Triton's leash as they approached the convenience store. She had searched around the suite, wondering if Haruka thought to leave food for Wind, and instead finding a note about what Wind will "willingly eat" written in the blonde's handwriting. Finally, Michiru had decided to venture out in search of cat food, thinking it cruel to leave her unfed. Now as she walked along the wet cement path, Triton alert to any passerby, she had to admit it was nice to be out in the wet weather. Before this rain she had begun to wonder where this state got its water.

Entering the store, she wandered the isles until she came across pet supplies. Once there she showed Triton a bag of cat food and a can of cat food, he seemed to like the can, so she put several into the cart. After that she grabbed a bag of dog treats and would have left, if a familiar voice had not caught her attention.

"I can't believe this, where would she have gone?" Jill's voice complained to the figure next to her. She did not take any notice of the third figure as she looked at the cat food on display.

"Now calm down, it isn't like you really love her anymore, right?" The man returned. He put one arm around her. "If she were to leave, we could spend more time together."

"First, Jose, I don't think that I just don't love her at all. It's just more like a sister would now." Jill's voice paused. "Also, have you ever wondered about the house or cars? Haruka was left a large amount of money by her parents. If she wanted to, she could have retired before she ever worked."

"So, what, money is money." Jose spoke with a shrug.

"And I suppose you own more than that car, lover-boy." Now Jill had hit sarcastic mode as she glared at the man in front of her. "I thought I was in love when I married her, I was wrong. However, I at least know I can count on never having to work. I don't mind being a housewife in that manner, but if she is cheating on me with that violin playing Jap." Jill left the thought unfinished.

"That's a very noble way to look at things, Jill-san." The voice caused the other two to jump as Michiru pulled the hood of her jacket down. The violin player tempered her voice with false curiosity, as if she felt nothing about the topic discussed. "Do all Americans use these double standards in their lives?"

"I don't know what you mean, Miss Kaioh." Jill said, trying to recover her composure from the sudden moment of shock. She carefully placed Jose between herself and the now growling Triton. "I'm merely concerned about my wife's whereabouts and the amount of time she spends with you."

"I see." Michiru paused, seeming to think this over as she let Triton growl to his heart’s content. She tried not to focus on how infuriating this woman could be. "Well, I will tell you what I have learned of Tenoh-san over the past two weeks. I have learned she is a loyal and devoted friend, who blames herself for anything her wife, can throw at her. She works though she doesn't need to, and she is very caring toward those she is friends with."

"And why do I need a lesson about my own wife?" Jill asked, voice somewhat uncertain as she tried to glare at the violinist from behind her human shield.

"Because, Jill-san, if you think Tenoh Haruka would betray you over a pretty face, then you truly don't know her." Michiru stressed the name while she dropped all titles. She tugged gently at Triton's leash and they left the isle to pay for the purchases.

As they were walking down the road Michiru's cell phone rang. When she glanced at the screen, she was surprised to see the ID read, Tenoh Haruka. She opened the phone and was cut off before she could speak.

"Thank you, Michiru. Gomen, I didn't realize it was you in that isle until you spoke." Haruka's deep voice came into her ear, after a pause the blonde asked an obvious question. "Do you need a ride back to your hotel?"

"No, thank you, Haruka." She looked up and noticed the slow-moving GTO across the road from her. It was dark and hard to see but she knew who the driver was. "Why were you there, were you following Jill?"

"No." A somewhat bitter laugh followed. Haruka took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I need to get away for a bit, and you seem to enjoy Wind's company. I was going to bring some cat food and leave it with the front desk. Seems we were all on the same mission today."

"Take all the time you need, Tenoh-san." Michiru spoke quietly as she looked again to the GTO. She gave a small smile as her mind remembered the first joke between the two. "If you leave for too long however, I may have to sell your soul again."

"Keep my soul, Michiru." Haruka paused, her car coming to a stop as she watched the other walk toward the corner. "I owe you at least that much."

Before Michiru could ask, Haruka had ended the call and the GTO shot past her down the dark road. She could not decide if she should be smiling or worried now. Instead she kept to her steady walk back, Triton seeming to enjoy the puddles of water along the sidewalk.

Jill Tanner came home to the same house, which always waited for her. Having sent Jose away after the store she slowly turned on the lights as she explored the house. Something felt odd but she could not place it. Something just did not feel right, Jill was feeling as if she had suddenly lost control of everything around her. In these past seven years she'd never felt so helpless, or so lost.

No that wasn't really true, just last time she had enjoyed that out of control feeling. She had felt very out of control when she and Haruka first met, and if she was honest, she'd tried to find that feeling again. Jill knew the mistakes she had made; knew she'd been wrong to marry the other woman. She hadn't been in love, not the type of love that lasts through out one's life. At the time she hadn't cared though, she’d been swept up in their relationship.

Honestly, Jill was not in love with anyone now. She’d questioned herself many times over these seven years, coming to the conclusion that she had never found that right one all the hopeless romantics spoke of. She was not a hopeless romantic however and like hell was she giving up the easy life she'd had with the blonde. Meeting Jose at a race four years ago had given her a past time of sorts. A past time which Haruka was never meant to find out about. Jill didn't think the blonde would in fact, as trusting as she was.

That was when it had begun to occur to Jill, if she could get away with this so easily why couldn't Haruka? If she could fall out of love with the blonde why couldn't the blonde do the same? Why hadn't the blonde found someone to replace her, what if she did? If she could find someone else to entertain her why didn't Haruka? The answer always being that Jill was bi so anyone would do; Haruka was a lesbian meaning they had to be female. Since Haruka rarely worked with females, and seemed to have no female friends, Jill didn't have to worry much. Jill had her affair without the worry of Haruka leaving her for another.

Then came Kaioh Michiru. Jill didn't honestly fear that Haruka would have an affair with the violinist. No, she feared something worse, she feared Haruka would fall in love with the beauty. That Haruka would replace their failed relationship and Jill would have to find her own way to get by. After all, for all the honor in the world who could look past a chance at real love? Hopeless romantic or not, even Jill had to admit she was a pain and Michiru seemed to be much more accommodating. Jill had thought last night that perhaps Haruka had finally given in, maybe that was why she hadn't come home.

Jill wouldn't have cared if Haruka was prone to one-night stands, but after over seven years she did in fact know how the blonde worked. She did not take relationships lightly; she did not do anything halfway. The tall racer was all or nothing when it came to her heart and that was the real problem. Jill had to wonder where she now stood, was she the all, or the nothing? After the encounter with Miss Kaioh in the store she had to admit the violinist seemed far more loyal. Kaioh had stepped into the verbal altercation when it would have been easier for her to walk away. So much easier to walk away.

Jill entered the kitchen and retrieved a bottle of whiskey and a glass. Tonight, she was alone. Tonight, she would grieve over the Jill Tanner she'd once been. She wasn't sure anymore if that girl ever truly existed, or if Haruka had fallen in love with a façade.

Sunday morning found Michiru sitting on the couch, blue eyes skimming across handwritten sheet music as her small breakfast became cold. She had woken early, unable to sleep well, and decided to go over a recent composition. Her blue eyes continued to read the notes as her mind drifted to another topic. Her thoughts turned to a certain blonde woman with an intense teal gaze.

Michiru, if she were to be honest, had to admit she was curious about what Haruka was doing. Somehow, she couldn't believe the racer was simply taking time for it to sink in, it didn't seem right for her. Michiru wasn't sure what it was that she was doing, but she hoped it went well. 

'Haruka has had enough bad luck for a lifetime.' She thought to herself, just as the phone rang.

"Miss Kaioh." Howard's voice again greeted her, this time sounding apologetic. He did not seem to want to say what was next. "I am sorry to say that Haruka is still missing."

"I'm sure Tenoh-san will be fine." Michiru interrupted, hoping to reassure the worried business agent. Howard seemed nice and had seemed to genuinely care about the blonde racer.

"I hope so, I've never known her to act like this." Howard cleared his throat, seeming to switch back to his business tone. "However, you still need a piano player and the concert is tomorrow. I know some young men who are particularly good, though with this short notice they will need to prepare today and tomorrow, but I am sure one of them will be able to play as a suitable stand in."

"No." Michiru stated quietly. She put down the sheet music in her hand and walked to the window, gazing out at the now clear sky. "Haruka will be there, I won’t replace her."

"Of course, Miss Kaioh." Howard paused, he was surprised by the change in how she addressed Haruka but merely shrugged, again realizing he didn't understand Japanese culture in the slightest. "But I can contact someone as a backup, this way if she is delayed or for some reason unable to show up you will still have a piano player."

"No." Michiru spoke firmly, eyes focused on the buildings beyond the window. "Haruka will be there, and if she isn't then I will play alone. I trust her to keep her word Howard-san."

"Of course." Howard paused, thinking over things before he spoke again. "I hope you are right."

"So do I." Michiru said quietly once the phone call ended. Triton and Wind silently gazed at the lone human, both seeming to wonder why their masters acted the way they always did.

Across the city Jill Tanner lifted her aching head from the kitchen table. She had been awakened by a loud pounding on the front door, all too far from the kitchen. She stood and muttered a bit as she stumbled toward the door. Blurry eyes focused on the men who stood there, one with a serious expression the other appearing to be quietly angered. Brown eyes met her own brown eyes as she recognized one of Haruka's oldest track buddies.

"Good morning Jill, did we wake you?" Thomas asked with a minimal amount of concern. The man behind him was unfamiliar to her but looked strangely intimidating in his business suit.

"Haruka isn't here Tom, in fact I don't know where she is." Jill looked up as he waved a hand to pause her comments. He gave her a very knowing look, almost accusing, as he gestured up the stairs.

"We aren't here to speak to Haruka. I suggest you go wash up and put on some fresh clothes, this will take a while." Thomas gestured the other man to the couch as he headed for the kitchen. "I'll make you some coffee for that hang over."

"Now just a minute!" Jill followed Thomas into the kitchen, clearly confused and angry while she tried to ignore her headache. "What the hell do you think you are doing Tom? This isn't your house and if you want to speak to me you should call first. Who is that man in my living room?"

"Jill." Thomas spoke in a dangerously calm voice as he turned to face her, brown eyes cold. He made sure that the kitchen door was shut before he continued. "How long did you think you could do this?"

"Do what?" Jill glared at the man before her, all she wanted to do was crawl into bed and sleep away the headache.

"Legally speaking this is Haruka's house, and I am here on her behalf." Thomas gave her the same look he gave a racer before they were dropped from a team. "As for that man, he'll be explained when you are cleaned up. It’s in your best interests to just act calmly for the moment, to think before you act."

Jill paused; dread growing inside her at the odd things Thomas was saying and the tone in his voice. Slowly, almost afraid of what would happen next, Jill walked out of the kitchen and up to take a shower. An exceedingly long shower.

Elsewhere in the city a cell phone beeped as it was given a connect alert. Haruka glanced at it for a moment, taking in the ID that came up.

"Yes Thomas?" She spoke into the direct connect phone.

"The hard part's over, got my foot in the door." There was a pause as Thomas considered how to say the next words. "I know this was partially my advice, but this is the last chance, Tokyo Raider. Are you sure this is what you want?"

"Yes, are you sure you can handle it, Thomas?" Haruka glanced out the window, sitting on its ledge and watching people walk on the street below.

"Of course, I've gotten pretty good at legal stuff, just leave it to me. Honestly though, you're being way too nice." There was a hint of venom in his tone. When nothing met his comment, Thomas pressed the button again. "I'll talk to you later, Raider."

Monday morning was predictable. Haruka was still missing, Howard called again, no one heard from Jill, and Michiru was preparing for the concert. The entire day went by without any real events, nothing worth any real notice compared to previous days. The concert hall was packed; guests in suits, tuxes and dresses filled the seats and spoke quietly as they waited. Michiru stood backstage, Howard next to her looking nervous and twitchy.

"It’s less than five minutes to show time, I should have called another piano player." Howard spoke as he twisted a paper between his hands anxiously.

"No Howard-san, I don't want a replacement." Michiru gently touched the man's shoulder and offered him a reassuring look. "Please try to relax." He only nodded and took a few steps back from her as she focused her eyes on the stage.

On stage a man was announcing the young violinist to her audience. He was almost done with his speech when a hand landed lightly on Michiru's left shoulder. She looked over her shoulder, expecting Howard, and came face to face with a pair of bright teal eyes. After a moment of surprised silence, she spun around and gave the taller woman a hug.

"You made it!" Howard exclaimed as quietly as possible. The man seemed extremely relieved.

"I'm hurt, you sound like you doubted me." Haruka joked playfully. She looked down at Michiru and gave her a measuring stare. "Now Kaioh-san, you didn't doubt me, did you?"

"Not for a second, let's go." Michiru took a hold of Haruka's arm and walked out onto the stage. The two women bowed to the applauding audience before each took to their own instrument.

Michiru's violin started the quiet tune, its strings singing a tune neither happy nor sad, before the piano joined in. Soon the music changed, transitioning not into a happy tune but instead one, which sounded as if two forces of nature were mixing. The sound was that of contentment and hope, of the ending of one event and the beginning of a new journey.

In the back of the hall sat two figures. Thomas Coffel, if asked, would admit that he'd rather not be next to Jill on any given night. Jill, if asked, would admit that she had very little interest in instrumental music. Still the two sat quietly, even they were absorbed into the music, forgetting for the moment all that had happened. Among the guests in attendance they were merely two, disappearing in a sea of suits and dresses.

The concert took just under two hours. The audience applauded as the two musicians bowed on stage. Soon they walked off the stage, both gratefully to escape the crowd and on-stage lighting. As Haruka turned toward the dressing rooms she spotted the side door opening and two figures entering. Jill walked quietly behind Thomas as they approached.

"Hey Tokyo Raider, that was a great performance. Maybe you should give up racing all together." Thomas grinned at Haruka before he held a handout to Michiru. "I'm Thomas Coffel, that was wonderful miss Kaioh."

"Thank you, Coffel-san." Michiru gently shook his hand and smiled lightly. For a moment they all fell into silence.

"Well, thank you again for the tickets, Raider." Thomas broke the silence as he pulled a packet of papers from an inside pocket of his coat. "The reason Jill came with me is so we can finish these papers tonight. Is there any where the three of us can go?"

It wasn't long before Haruka, Jill and Thomas were in a dressing room with the door securely shut behind them. Thomas placed the paperwork into Haruka's hand, telling her to look it over a last time before she signed it. Her eyes skimmed lightly over the text on the white paper, making sure that everything she asked had been done correctly.

"Amazing how quickly you can get a divorce in this state." Thomas spoke with grim recognition as he gathered the now fully signed paperwork. He tipped a non-existent hat toward the two women. "I'll take this to the lawyer first thing in the morning. Good night ladies."

Thomas left, the door shut softly behind him, and it was just Jill and Haruka. They regarded each other in silence for a long time. Jill's face seemed to hold guilt and she couldn't bring herself to meet Haruka's eyes. Haruka, on the other hand, seemed unreadable, giving away nothing.

"Why?" Asked Jill as she looked at the tall blonde before her. "We both know this was my fault so why are you giving me the house? Why leave me with a car and some money, you didn't have to?"

"Listen Jill." Haruka looked down, running one hand through her short hair as her teal eyes focused on her well-polished shoes. She took a deep breath before she spoke again. "I won’t say it didn't hurt, but I don't blame you. I should have seen it much earlier and we did meet when we were pretty young."

"But I was the one who changed, Haruka, not you." Jill paused to collect her thoughts. "I was mad and wanted to press for more thinking you left me for your beautiful friend out there, until Thomas told me the stated reason. That's why you never came home isn't it?"

"I came home." Haruka spoke quietly as she looked back up at two regretful brown eyes, her own teal eyes clouded and completely unreadable now. "I came home and was finally forced to see it."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have let it happen that way." Jill looked back down at the floor. "But I still don't understand why you are being so nice to me in all of this."

"Like I said, I don't blame you." Haruka stood and walked toward the door. Before she left, she looked back at Jill and spoke one last time. "We were wrong for each other, but you were one of my best friends. I couldn't leave you with nothing for that, or for the time we did share." There was a small pause. "But please, you deserve better than that guy."

Without another word Haruka left the room and walked out to the parking lot. She was surprised when a ball of blue-gray fur ran over to her at what appeared to be warp speed. Wind-Chaser jumped into her master's arms with a happy purr. Haruka had to smile even as she wondered how she'd get the fur off her tux before the next night's performance.

Looking up for the first time she spotted the figure next to her car. Michiru stood leaning on the hood in much more casual clothes. Even though she'd changed into what almost looked like a school uniform Haruka had to admit she was striking in the moonlight. She walked over and grinned down at the shorter woman, handing her the keys to the gray GTO.

"Hope you know how to drive; I don't think Wind will let me." Haruka joked as Wind voiced a meow of complaint each time Haruka's hand left her fur.

"I think I can manage, why don't we go get dinner?" Michiru asked as she unlocked the doors. Both climbed in and Michiru started the car. She pulled out of the space and they waited in the line of cars leaving the concert hall. Silence fell for a total of five minutes before Michiru broke it again. "What are you going to do now, Haruka?"

"I don't really know." The blonde smiled somewhat thoughtfully as her hand ran across Wind-Chaser's fur. "I guess I'll go wherever the wind blows me."

"What if it blows you back to Tokyo?" Michiru asked, a sly smile starting to form on her lips as her blonde companion raised one eyebrow and teal eyes glanced toward her.

"Well, I supposed I'd have to follow than. After all, who can resist the power of the wind." Haruka smirked. "It has to be the most powerful element on earth."

"Oh, I don't know." Michiru spoke again with a playful look and a thoughtful tone of voice. "I've always thought that the sea is the most powerful element."

"Does it even count?" Haruka teased and received a glare from the other woman. She grinned and raised her hands to Wind's protests. "Okay, you win, the sea is an element, but the wind is still faster."

"Would you come with me on tour?" Michiru finally asked, becoming serious as they pulled onto the street.

"Thought you'd never ask." Haruka grinned and stroked Wind's fur again as she leaned back in her seat and shut her eyes. "It'd break poor Wind-chan's heart if I said no."

"I'm sure T-kun would be sad as well." Michiru commented with a smile. 'So would I.' She added silently. The car fell silent as they drove into the nighttime streets.


	5. Epilouge: Jill's Responsibility

Epilogue: Jill's Responsibility 

Eight months later in Las Vegas, Nevada a young woman in blue jean overalls brushed her brown bangs from her face as she investigated the closet again. Her brown eyes scanned over each item to once again be sure that only her belongings were left. With a quiet nod Jill Tanner gently closed the closet door. Turning she opened each drawer in her bedroom, making the same final check again. Slowly she eyed the entire room again to be doubly sure that all her ex-wife's things were now packed and ready.

"Ma'am?" She looked up from taping the final box shut to see a young man who appeared to be about seventeen years old. The boy wore a blue cover-all with a patch that read 'Coyote Shipping and Moving Services'. "We have the piano loaded, is that the last box?"

"Yes, thank you. Can you please take it down to the truck?" Jill asked with a warm smile.

"Of course, ma'am, that's my job after all." He said with a joking tone, tipping a hat he didn't even wear. He walked over and picked up the box, following Jill out of the room and down the wooden stairs. As they neared the door his curiosity got the better of him and he asked her one last question. "Where are you sending all this stuff anyway?"

"Tokyo, Japan." Jill said with a somewhat wistful look. She shook her head lightly as she glanced again at the golden yellow Mustang parked in her driveway. "An old friend just moved back there and after all of the things I did to her, and how well she took it, the least I can do is make sure she has her clothes and other belongings."

"Like that piano?"

"Yes, like the piano. You know, I only heard her play once, her music room was sound proofed and I never really cared, now I regret that." She looked at the confused expression he wore and shook her head again. Jill smiled and patted his shoulder. "Never mind Sparky, just get that on the truck."

The boy smiled, did as he was told and disappeared into the truck. His boss walked over with an invoice listing ten boxes and one black grand piano. As she was signing the paper Thomas appeared at the door, his blue jeans, t-shirt and hands covered in dust from the earlier excursions into the garage. He watched quietly as Jill thanked the man and the truck pulled away from the curb. He found it a bit hard to fight down the sense of sudden sadness that hit him upon seeing that truck drive away.

"Good luck, Tokyo Raider." He grinned as a wicked thought crossed his mind and whispered one more comment. "Don't break too many hearts, or traffic laws for that matter."

"What was that Tom?" Jill asked as she looked back at him. Thomas only shook his head, so she let it go. After a moment she looked up at his face again. "Thank you for your help Tom, I wouldn't have had an address to send any of it to her if not for you. And thank you again for helping to pay for shipping."

"No problem, we can't have Haruka going out buying everything, again can we? Besides, I was shocked when you called and told me why you needed the address." He held up his hands to the glare she threw his way. After a moment he laughed and walked over to throw an arm around her shoulders. He led her back into the house with a friendly smile. "Oh, come on, eight months ago you'd have been ready to keep it all to spite her. You changed a lot since the divorce."

"You can thank Haruka, I have been trying to figure out exactly why she was so good to me after what I did." Jill hung her head as they reached the kitchen. She sat heavily in a chair and stared blankly at the tabletop.

"Not that again, miss AA." Thomas shook a finger at her as he grinned. He was still amazed how well she improved since Haruka left Vegas; the whole thing seemed a wakeup call for the woman in front of him. "I'll do you a favor and make diner for you tonight, but tomorrow we are going to a club and you are finding a nice woman, or man, or whatever you feel like dating this week, to talk to. You have to start again some time."

"Remind me to turn you over to the national bi-sexual rights association for that remark, Tom." She rose and started for the stairs before she paused. "But dinner sounds good."

"Does that association exist?" Thomas asked with a puzzled look as he started poking in the fridge.

"I don't know." Jill thought about it for a moment before she started walking again and called back over her shoulder. "But if it does, I am going to turn you over for picking on a poor divorced bi."

Thomas laughed as she walked up the staircase. He smiled as he realized that Jill was sounding a lot more like the young woman Haruka first met again. Maybe there was hope for her yet, just had to find the right woman, or man. Again, he laughed and shook his head as he tried to decide on a gay bar or a normal club.

Somewhere in Japan a yellow convertible sped expertly down a twisting road as a young blonde woman grinned. The growling purr of the motor was music to her ears, the wind a gentle caress through her hair and the scenery like a dream after so awfully long away from this place. The convertible sped off into the dark night as its driver basked in the familiar yet alien countryside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought I'd share one interesting not about this story. When I first wrote it in 2005, the original idea was going to be Haruka cheating on Jill with Michiru. As I sat down to write it though I couldn't comfortably evolve that idea into a story, and so I shifted it to Jill cheating on Haruka. There is a sequel to this story titled "Truly, Madly, Deeply" which I will begin editing and posting here soon.
> 
> Kudos and comments are welcome.


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